System and method for determining establishment causes for emergency sessions

Abstract

A method for initiating a Packet Switched emergency call using a user equipment (UE) is presented. The UE includes a plurality of protocol layers. The plurality of protocol layers including an IMS sublayer, a non-access stratum (NAS) layer and an access stratum (AS) layer. The method includes generating an ATTACH REQUEST using the UE. The ATTACH REQUEST has an attach type. The method includes retrieving the attach type of the ATTACH REQUEST using the NAS layer of the UE, and generating an RRC CONNECTION REQUEST. The RRC CONNECTION REQUEST includes an RRC establishment cause based upon the attach type of the attach request.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for initiating a Packet Switched (PS) emergency call using a user equipment (UE), the UE including a plurality of protocol layers, the plurality of protocol layers including an Internet Protocol (IP) Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) sublayer, a non-access stratum (NAS) layer and an access stratum (AS) layer, the method comprising:
 generating, at the UE, a first request comprising an indicator that indicates a request type; 
 determining, at the UE, a Radio Resource Control (RRC) establishment cause based on the request type, wherein the RRC establishment cause indicates that the UE is requesting an establishment of an RRC connection for an emergency call via a PS network; 
 generating, at the UE, a request message for setting up the RRC connection, wherein the request message for setting up the RRC connection includes the RRC establishment cause; and 
 transmitting the request message for setting up the RRC connection to a base station. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein generating the first request comprises generating the first request in response to the UE being NAS unregistered. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first request is to be sent to a mobility function within a core network. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the RRC connection is a signaling connection. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the request type comprises a type associated with establishing the PS emergency call via a PS network. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first request is one of a request to be NAS registered or a request for a connection with a packet data network. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the emergency call via the PS network comprises at least one of evolved packet system (EPS) emergency call or session, PS emergency, or IMS emergency call or session. 
     
     
       8. A user equipment (UE), comprising:
 at least one hardware processor; and 
 a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium coupled to the at least one hardware processor and storing programming instructions for execution by the at least one hardware processor, wherein the programming instructions, when executed, cause the at least one hardware processor to perform operations comprising: 
 generating, at the UE, a first request comprising an indicator that indicates a request type; 
 determining, at the UE, a Radio Resource Control (RRC) establishment cause based on the request type, wherein the RRC establishment cause indicates that the UE is requesting an establishment of an RRC connection for an emergency call via a Packet Switched (PS) network; 
 generating, at the UE, a request message for setting up the RRC connection, wherein the request message for setting up the RRC connection includes the RRC establishment cause; and 
 transmitting the request message for setting up the RRC connection to a base station. 
 
     
     
       9. The UE of  claim 8 , wherein generating the first request comprises generating the first request in response to the UE being non-access stratum (NAS) unregistered. 
     
     
       10. The UE of  claim 8 , wherein the first request is to be sent to a mobility function within a core network. 
     
     
       11. The UE of  claim 8 , wherein the RRC connection is a signaling connection. 
     
     
       12. The UE of  claim 8 , wherein the request type comprises a type associated with establishing the PS emergency call via a PS network. 
     
     
       13. The UE of  claim 8 , wherein the first request is one of a request to be NAS registered or a request for a connection with a packet data network. 
     
     
       14. The UE of  claim 8 , wherein the emergency call via the PS network comprises at least one of evolved packet system (EPS) emergency call or session, PS emergency, or Internet Protocol (IP) Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) emergency call or session. 
     
     
       15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions which, when executed, cause a computing device to perform operations comprising:
 generating, at a user equipment (UE), a first request comprising an indicator that indicates a request type; 
 determining, at the UE, a Radio Resource Control (RRC) establishment cause based on the request type, wherein the RRC establishment cause indicates that the UE is requesting an establishment of an RRC connection for an emergency call via a Packet Switched (PS) network; 
 generating, at the UE, a request message for setting up the RRC connection, wherein the request message for setting up the RRC connection includes the RRC establishment cause; and 
 transmitting the request message for setting up the RRC connection to a base station. 
 
     
     
       16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein generating the first request comprises generating the first request in response to the UE being non-access stratum (NAS) unregistered. 
     
     
       17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the first request is to be sent to a mobility function within a core network. 
     
     
       18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the RRC connection is a signaling connection. 
     
     
       19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the request type comprises a type associated with establishing the PS emergency call via a PS network. 
     
     
       20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the first request is one of a request to be NAS registered or a request for a connection with a packet data network.